The H-C Wars: The Rise of the Commonwealth
by Gen.Reaper
Summary: A direct sequel to the Nucleus Project, the TDJTF finds itself traveling through one of the newly created portals to a unexplored new dimension to fight the forces of the Combine while trying to make contact with it's inhabitants. Based off my series of GMOD poses with the same name.
1. Chapter 1

**The Human-Combine Wars**

The Rise of the Commonwealth

Introduction -

**DISASTER IN THE MANN VERSE, **A US Military strike on a BLU Secret Weapon facility in the Siberian Wilderness resulted in BLU destroying the facility to prevent it's capture by deactivating the safety measures on the Dark-fusion that powered their Dark-Energy Signal Emitter causing a massive dark energy explosion that released massive amounts of dark energy into the Mann and Zombie Verses that has began to converge and form three new portals leading to a completely new dimension where radio signals have already have been detected, triggering a massive land grab between the Allies, the Pact, and the Combine.

But unfortunately for the Allies, the Combine has managed to reach one of the portals first and have already to send forces through it even with the advance of the nearby Allied Forces. Desperate to get a presence in the other dimension, the Allied leaders have ordered the elite TDJTF to go the other portal to make contact with whoever is inhabiting the dimension on the other side.

Chapter One: Detected

**Allied FOB; Sydney, Australia; Mann Verse**

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force **

**One Day after the Nucleus Accident**

The commander of the Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force, Major General Wallace Shephard was overseeing some of his men as they loaded supplies onto the cargo compartment on one of the TDJTF's stealth VTOLs that would carry the General and a small expedition consisting of the TDJTF's Lambda Resistance contingent, RED #405, Bill, Zoey, Francis, Louis, and a small force of TDJTF soldiers from both Shephard's and Krenzi's forces

"Is that all of it?" Shephard asked the soldiers as one of them close the compartment's door and locked it so it wouldn't open up in the middle of flight

"Yes sir." One of them replied, "Now all we need to do is wait for these things to finish fueling up and you'll be ready to go."

"Okay, now get back to your unit, General Krenzi will be in command while I'm gone and I want everybody ready to go if we need you on the other side.." Shephard said to them

The Soldiers nodded and left Shephard, who was joined by Alyx Vance and Bill

"Are you sure we shouldn't take the entire task force with us?" Alyx asked him

"We don't want to attract too much attention to ourselves because who or whatever is living on the other side of that portal is already being attacked by the Combine, so they're going to have itchy trigger fingers and we don't have enough have these stealthed VTOLs to take the entire task force." He replied

"If you say so..." Bill said to him, "So what's the plan?"

"Well first thing we're going to do is gather intel on the natives, learn their command structure if they have one and their culture, then we're going to try to make contact." He replied

"And how are we going to make contact?" Alyx asked him

"We'll think of something." He replied, "But I want to remind you all that we're not going to be there to make new enemies, we want to try befriending these people if we can."

"What if they're not even people at all?" Bill asked him

"We'll manage." He replied

"So when are we leaving?" Bill asked

"As soon as the VTOLs are finished refueling." Shephard replied

"How long will that take?" Alyx asked him

"About a few minutes at the most. Are you guys ready?" He replied

"We're ready to go when you are." Bill said to him

"Good." He replied, "Get your guys together.", Alyx and Bill left while Shephard went off to gather his own, "This is going to be a long night." Shephard said to himself

**A Few Minutes Later**

RED Soldier was the first member of RED Team #405 to get aboard one of the VTOL and was followed by the RED Scout

"How many times are we going have to use these things this week?" The RED Scout asked as he and the RED Soldier sat down as the other members of #405 boarded the transport

"As many times as we need to boy. Now cut your yapping before I make you." The RED Soldier replied before he looked up at the RED Engineer who was carrying a container filled with scrap metal that he gathered at a nearby salvage yard to build sentries and dispensers with, "Brought enough metal Engie?"

"You can never have enough metal when your a engineer." The Texan replied as he sat down and placed the container in the empty seat next to him as the RED Medic and Heavy passed him by and sat down at the far end of the VTOL as the RED Demoman and Pyro came aboard followed by the RED Spy and Sniper followed by Alyx Vance and Gordon Freeman

"You guys all ready back there?" The Pilot of the VTOL shouted to them

"Ten-four!" The RED Soldier replied

"Affirmative, getting ready for take off." The Pilot said as she and the co-pilot started the pre-take off preparations while everybody in the VTOL put on their safety belts as it's engines came to life with a roar before going quiet as it slowly lifted itself off the ground

"How do they hide these things in broad daylight?" The RED Engineer asked the Pilot

"A camera on top of the aircraft takes a picture of the skies over us and projects the image onto the bottom of the aircraft so it looks like that it's not even there." She replied, "But we can still be seen by any aircraft that happens to be flying nearby, but then we have to rely on our speed and just hope they're not faster."

"Sounds like a major design flaw." Alyx said to her

"It is really, but there isn't a powerful enough cloaking device to protect a aircraft of this size yet." She replied as she flipped a few switches on a control panel that changed the direction of the engines, making the VTOL go forward in the air toward the portal followed by the other VTOLs before going into the portals

**New Dimension**

The VTOL carrying Shephard, the survivors, and several TDJTF soldiers was the first to come out of the portal and found themselves flying in almost complete darkness, making Shephard and the others slip their night vision goggles(NVGs) over their eyes allowing them to see that they were flying over a darkened and seemingly abandoned city

"Looks like nobody's home." The RED Soldier said quietly over the radio

"They might be enforcing a blackout so the city can't be spotted by aircraft, but like that's going to help them against the Combine." Shephard replied as he removed his safety restraints and moved into the cockpit, "Anything on radar?"

"There's a few distant bogies to our west, but they're far enough not to be a threat to us." The Co-Pilot said to him

"Lets make sure that it stays that way, shall we? Get us out from over this city as soon as possible." He replied

The Pilots nodded

**On the ground**

**Hanover, The Province of Germania **

**Commonwealth Self-Defense Forces(CSDF) 576th Anti-Air Artillery Battalion **

**April 22nd, 2014 **

The commander of the 567th, Lieutenant Colonel Achille Parde was sitting in a chair in the back of the battalion's mobile headquarters looking at a RADAR(**RA**dio **D**etection **A**nd **R**anging)screen over the shoulder of it's operator

"There's nothing out there sir." The RADAR Operator said to Achille with a Dutch accent

"Keep scanning." He replied with his French accent, before moving over to the next station where a RADAR operator was manning the screen of a new type of RADAR that instead of detecting aircraft themselves, it detected the radio signals emitted by either's their radios or their own RADAR systems where the operator was following several unidentified bogies, "What's going on here?" Achille asked the Operator, who jumped, not knowing that the Lieutenant Colonel was behind him

"Oh for fucks sake you scared me Colonel. But I detected these three objects that just originated out from the anomaly over Hanover." The RADAR Operator said to Achille

Achille looked at the RADAR screen and saw the three dots that represented three individual aircraft flying away from the anomaly

"Are they hostile?" He asked the Operator

"Don't know sir, we can only see them talking with this thing, but not hear them." He replied

"Where are they?" Achille asked him as he pulled out a map of the area and unfolded it

"Looks like they're heading north, toward Hamburg." He replied while taking a quick glance at the RADAR screen

"Then why isn't our main RADAR detecting them?" Achille asked him

The Operator shrugged, Achille sighed in response

"Contact regimental command and tell them about this. Hopefully we can reach Hamburg before they do." He said to the Operator, who pulled out his phone

"Sir do you think that these could be the aliens?" The Operator asked him

"I don't know son." He replied


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Welcome to the Isotx Verse

**Location Unknown; New Dimension **

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force(TDJTF) **

**A Hour Later**

With the sun beginning to rise on the western horizon, the stealth VTOLs carrying the TDJTF were desperately looking for a secluded area to land in where they wouldn't be spotted by prying eyes

"There isn't any good places to land out here you guys!" The Pilot of RED Team #405's VTOL shouted

"No need to yell." The Pilot of one of the other VTOLs replied, "And just keep looking, there's bound to be someplace where we can land safely."

"How much longer are we going to be back here?" The RED Heavy asked as he uncomfortable shifted in his seat

"Just hold on for a bit longer big buy, we're going to find a place soon." The Co-Pilot replied

"You said that over 30 minutes ago and we still haven't landed!" The RED Scout shouted

"What the hell going on over there?!" Shephard asked over the radio

"Nothing important General." The RED Soldier replied, "Any idea how long will it be until we find a place to land?"

"Hopefully not much longer." Shephard said

"He doesn't even know!" The RED Scout shouted

"Shut up Scout! We don't need your bickering cluttering up the communication channels!" The RED Spy said to the Scout before a full scale argument between the members of #405 and the Pilots broke out

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Alyx yelled at the top of her lungs, making everybody else in the VTOL go quiet, "Thank you."

"Thank you Alyx." Shephard replied

"I concur." Bill said over the radio when one of the pilots started to panic over the radio

"Multiple contacts heading directly for us!" The Panicky Pilot shouted over the radio

"How did they detect us?" Zoey asked, "I thought these things we're supposed to be stealthed?!"

"They are!" The Pilot of Shephard's VTOL replied when a formations of fighter jets flew over the VTOLs, they're engines making a ear-piercing shrieking noise

"They missed us!" RED Sniper said

"Negative! They're coming back around!" The Pilot shouted as the jets turned around and came back around, "Everybody strap in, it's going to get bumpy!"

**CSDF 876th Fighter Squadron **

"Unidentified aircraft are performing evasive maneuvers!" Lieutenant Sofia Fletcher shouted over the radio of her F-98 Jet Fighter as the aircraft that she and her squadron were following started to doing maneuvers in an attempt to lose the Isotxian fighters

"Don't let them out of your sights!" Her Squadron Leader, Major Marx Abend replied

"Roger that squadron leader." One of the Other Pilots said

"Should we engage the targets?" Sofia asked

"Negative, they don't seemed to be armed." Marx replied, "I'm going to see if I can raise them!"

"Raise them?" Sofia asked, "We don't even know if they're human!"

"It's still worth trying, just stay on them until I make contact!" Marx replied

Zoey screamed as the VTOL did a barrel roll while the pursuing fighters kept chase

"These guys aren't getting a clue!" The Pilot of the VTOL shouted

"Sir, we're getting traffic over the communications channel, it's weak though!" The Co-Pilot shouted to Shephard who was sitting in a extra seat behind him, strapped in, "I think it's coming from one of those fighters!"

"Clear it up!" He replied

"Yes sir." The Co-Pilot said as he tried to adjust the settings on the radio to see if he could the strength of the signal before a voice started to cry out over the radio with a German accent

"This is Major Marx of the 876th Fighter Squadron to unidentified aircraft, you have entered a restricted airspace. Follow us to the nearest airfield or we will open fire! I repeat, you have entered a restricted airspace! Follo-" Man shouted

"Patch him through." Shephard replied

"Yes sir." The Co-Pilot said as he transferred Marx's transmission to Shephard

"Major Marx, this is Major General Shephard of the Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force. We were not aware of this being a restricted airspace and we will follow you if you agree not to fire upon us." He said to Marx

"Not until you stop those maneuvers you're doing!" He replied

"Do what he says, don't want to start a war here." Shephard said to the Pilots over the radio

The VTOL Pilots stopped maneuvering their aircraft while the jet fighters slowed down

"Okay general, you will follow us to the nearest airfield." Marx said to Shephard, "If you or any of your aircraft attempt to escape, we will shoot you down."

"I copy." He replied

"We're seriously doing this?" Nick asked Shephard

"Those fighters were keeping up with us pretty good, they would've torn us apart." Bill said to him

"The old man's right, there was no way we were going to lose those fighters." The RED Soldier replied

"You think they're really going to do it?" Sofia asked Marx

"I hope so." He replied as the fighters formed a triangle-like formation around the aircraft of the TDJTF as they headed toward the nearest airfield near Hamburg

**CSDF Airfield; Near Hamburg **

**A Few Minutes Later **

Alarms sounded off across the airfield as Isotxian soldiers and fighting vehicles rushed to surround the TDJTF's VTOL as they descended down to the landing pads while Shephard and the others prepared to disembark

"Do not try anything heroic, we don't want these people thinking we're they're enemies." Shephard said over the radio to the others

"Roger that." The RED Soldier replied, "So I'm guessing we should leave our weapons on the VTOL?"

"Yeah." Shephard said

"I can't really say I like this." The RED Engineer replied

"Are you guys ready?" One of the VTOL Pilots asked

"Yes, open the gates." Shephard replied before the Pilot of his VTOL pulled the lever that opened the back gate, allowing Shephard to lead the others out

"Hands where we can see them!" One of the Isotxian Officers shouted to the TDJTF using a megaphone while the Isotxian soldiers and vehicles surrounding the TDJTF kept their weapons trained on them while the TDJTF rose their hands up over their heads before the Officer with the megaphone and a few soldiers started to cautiously approach Shephard

"Let me handle this." Shephard said to the others as he slowly approached the Isotxian Officer and his escorts

"Are you General Shephard?" The Isotxian Officer asked him

"Yes sir." He replied

"Are from the other side of the anomaly over Hanover?" The Officer asked Shephard

"Yes and that anomaly is called a portal, it's a gateway between your dimension and another." He replied

The Officer snorted

"We kind of already know that since your _friends_ have already started to pour of the other one." He said to Shephard, "You will come with us to Rosengraten."

"What's there?" He replied

"You'll know soon enough." The Officer said to him, "Now tell your men to board those trucks!"

**"Landship Pass"; South of Yakima, Puget Province; East of Seattle**

**Isotxian Home Army **

Protected by hordes of Isotxian fighters and airships, the dual 280mm main guns of the Isotxian Tami-Class Landship "Ulla" made the heavens and earth tremble as they fired shells into the Combine-held town of Yakima as it covered the CSDF's first counter-offensive against the invaders while everything the Combine threw back at it appeared to not even phase the armored behemoth due it's massive size and thick ship-like armor as Field Marshal Reed October, the commander of the Isotxian Home Army used the vehicle bay located in the rear of the massive armored vehicle as a mobile command center

"We're doing well, forward recon units are reporting that the invader's defenses in Yakima are still to fall apart under the pressure." A Isotxian General said to Reed

"Good, that means we mean we need to keep it up then." He replied, "How is our fighter cover holding up?"

"For now, it's holding up. But a majority of their airpower is focused around Seattle supporting their attacks on the Sixth Army, so it's not going to last long if they collapse before we can reach them." The General said to Reed

"Then we need to quickly." He replied, "What's the next biggest town between here and Seattle?"

"Ellensburg." The General said


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Meeting the Schnitters

**Rosengraten, Germania; South of Hamburg **

**Headquarters of Army Group Alpha **

**Four Hours Later **

Field Marshal Erwin Schnitter the 31st, the commander of Isotxian Army Group Alpha(AGA) was sitting behind his desk looking at the latest reports about the Battle in Puget Province smoking his pipe while his younger siblings, Julie and Harrison Schnitter sat in the seats next to the right wall of his office as Wally, his pet German Shepherd slept peacefully in her bed at the corner on his officer

"Do you really have to do that while we're in here Erwin?" Julie asked, before choking after accidentally breathing in some smoke from Erwin's pipe

"It helps me concentrate." He replied

"Well you're suffocating us!" She said in a wheezy voice

Erwin rolled his eyes and took his pipe out of his mouth before dumping it's content into the ash tray on his desk before putting the pipe on it's holder

"Happy now?" He asked her when Manfred, their older brother came into the room, escorting Shephard who more than willing sat down in the empty seat in front of Erwin's desk while Manfred stood behind him

"You must be Major General Shephard." Erwin said to him

"That's me." He replied, "Who's in charge here?"

"That would be me." Erwin said

"Oh...I thought you would be-" Shephard asked

"Older?" Erwin replied, "Age doesn't mean seniority general."

Shephard nodded

"Sorry for making that mistake." He said while Erwin nodded

"Shephard, I want you to meet my chief intelligence officer and younger sister, Julie Schnitter and my assister and younger brother, Harrison and I believe you're already affiliated with my older brother, Manfred." He said to Shephard who looked back at Manfred before looking back at Erwin, already knowing what his name was due to the name tag on his desk

"Erwin..." Julie said to her brother

"I know...I know." He replied, "Lets get down to business, so General I understand that you're supposed to be here to help us fight off these Combine...things attacking Puget Province?"

"Yes." Shephard said

"What can you tell us about them?" Erwin asked him

"They're a multi-dimensional empire bent on wiping out mankind." He replied

"Well we kind already guessed about the wiping out mankind part, but not the multi-dimensional empire part." Harrison said to him

"So I also trust you've been keeping track of the progress of Field Marshal October's counter-attack?" Erwin asked Shephard

"I've been listening to whatever I can and trust me Field Marshal, October's progress is only going to be temporary. The Combine will eventually strike back, hard." He replied

Erwin nodded

"Currently they're focusing most of their forces on the provincial capital, Seattle where they managed to entrap the forces of a former colleague of mine, General Otto Himu. " He said to Shephard

"So I've heard." He replied

"But high command already doubts that Field Marshal October's Home Army will be able to reach Seattle in time to relief to his forces and if we want to save the general and his men we need to find a way to quicken the pace of Field Marshal October's forces before the Combine finish off Himu's men and you're unfortunately the best lead we have." Erwin said to him, "And if you help us, our government will join the alliance. Even if you fail."

"We won't." Shephard replied, "But before me and my men go, we need to call in the rest of our task force from the other side of the Hanover portal."

Erwin nodded

"How large is your task force?" He asked

"Large enough to get the job done." Shephard replied

"Good enough for me." Erwin said, "We have another question, we have intel indicating that inside the territory of our enemy, the Eastern Empire there is a third portal. Can you confirm this for us?"

Shephard nodded

"There is indeed a third portal and it's under the control of another alliance, the Ontario Pact." He said

"Who is this Ontario Pact?" Julie asked him

"The ones who are responsible for the events that opened the portals that both us and the Combine to your world." He replied, "Be warned, they are extremely hostile and dangerous."

"Thanks for the heads up." Erwin said to him, "By the time you get to your men, all your equipment would have been given back to you."

Shephard nodded

"Thank Field Marshal." He said to Erwin as he got up and left the office

"Should I follow him?" Manfred asked

"No, I think we can trust him." Erwin replied, "On the other hand though, I want all of our forces on the frontline to be put on full alert and the reserves mobilized, he wasn't kidding about those Ontario Pact guys."

"Should we send warning down to Field Marshal Abra?" Julie asked him

"Yes and also send warning to the Ministry of Defense and the Pacific Theater." He replied, "We have a lot of work in store for us today, so we better get on it."

"Erwin, if the Eastern Empire joins this Pact, the Commonwealth is going to be in some serious trouble." Harrison said to him

"But we'll have these Alliance people backing us in return." He replied

"Are you sure that we rely on these Alliance people?" Manfred asked him

"If we can trust Shephard, we can surely trust them." He replied, "Dismissed and Julie, I want you to keep an extra eye out for any suspicious or unusual activity behind Imperial lines."

Julie nodded

"Will do Erwin." She said before they all left the room, leaving Erwin and Wally alone

Wally made a whining noise

"I know, I don't like it either." Erwin said, "But times have changed."

Erwin looked at his pipe, picked it up, refilled it with tobacco, and then lit it with a match before picking up the reports he was reading

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force**

Shephard returned to the gymnasium where the TDJTF was being held to find that they're equipment was in the process of being returned by the Isotxians

"What is thing?" A Isotxian Soldier asked as he held up a tablet, "Is it some kind of eating platform?"

"It's a PDA!" The Owner, a TDJTF Officer said to the Isotxian Soldier as he took his PDA out of the Soldier's hand and turned it on

"PDA?" The Soldier asked, rubbing one of his hands

"Personal Digital Assistant." The TDJTF Officer said to him, "You don't have them here?"

"I'm afraid not." He replied

"Well do you know what a computer is?" The TDJTF Officer asked, the Soldier shook his head, "Oh well...how do I explain this..."

"Is something wrong?" Shephard asked the Officer

"Sir, this Isotxian is saying that he doesn't know what a computer is." He replied

Shephard looked at the Isotxian Soldier

"Can you hand me your PDA?" He asked the Officer

"Yes sir." He replied before handing Shephard the PDA that he used to pull a folder of a computer that he showed to the Isotxian soldier while also catching the attention of a nearby Isotxian officer

"What the bloody hell is that?" The Officer asked Shephard with a English accent

"It's a computer, I'm guessing that they were never invented here?" He replied

"Guessing so since I've near heard of one." The Officer said

Shephard gave the TDJTF Officer his PDA back

"Well I guess that's all about the change soon." He said, "Where did you put our transports?"

"They're outside on the trucks in the school parking lot." The Isotxian Officer replied, "And don't worry, we haven't done anything to them."

"Good because we're going to need them." Shephard said to the Officer


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Koa Bridge

**Isotxian FOB**

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force **

**Later that night **

Shephard and RED Team #405 were in the first VTOLs to touchdown at the Isotxian FOB where the Home Army was preparing to throw itself at the Combine defenses in Ellensburg

"You must be General Shephard!" Field Marshal Reed October said to Shephard after he jumped out of the VTOL, shouting so he could be heard over the engines of the VTOLs and nearby Isotxian vehicles

"Yes sir and you must be Field Marshal Reed October." He replied

The Isotxian nodded

"Glad you got here when you did, we're just about to launch our main attack on Ellensburg." He said to Shephard, who nodded and looked at the gathered Isotxian forces

"Well I can tell you this Field Marshal, you're certainly not over compensating." He replied, "Where do you want my forces?"

"Anywhere will do fine!" Reed said, "But we need to hurry, we just recently came into contact with a unit from the Sixth Army that was managed to escape Seattle and they're saying that the Combine are really stepping up on the pressure there, so we must have caught their attention!"

Shephard nodded

"Then lets not waste any time then!" He said to Reed, "Just let me get forces ready!"

Reed nodded

"If you need anything, just call!" He replied before leaving

"Okay everybody! Get everything that you need off the VTOLs ASAP! We don't have much time!" Shephard shouted to the rest of the TDJTF

**Chicago – Capital of the Commonwealth **

Isotxian Head of state, Ome Vince and his Secretary of Defense, Janet Jayme were om the underground war room of the Isotxian Parliament building, monitoring the situation in Puget Province

"This just came in ma'am." A Isotxian Officer said to Jayme before handing a telegram

"Thank you." She replied as she took the telegram and carefully read it

"What is it? Is it about Puget Province?" Vince asked her

"Yes, but it's good news. The TDJTF has just arrived at the Home Army's FOB near Pomona." She replied

"Finally." Vince said, "How long will it be until Field Marshal October starts his attack?"

"Depends on how long the TDJTF takes to prepare themselves." She replied

The Prime Minister sighed

"We've wasted enough time as it is, we need to reach Seattle." He said to her

"And the TDJTF is well aware of that fact and they're doing what they can, we just need to be patient for a bit longer." She replied

"But our enemies aren't waiting, every second we waste is giving these Combine things more time to annihilate the Sixth Army and I have no doubt that they know we're receiving assistance from the Alliance now and will speed up their siege." Vince said to her

"Field Marshal October is doing what he can, but in the end it's all on the shoulders of the TDJTF." She replied

"Dammit..." Vince said, "Well anyway how is the situation in Europe?" Vince asked her

"The Schnitter brothers have redirected the divisions they had around Hanover back to the frontline and is positioning his combat reserves for a rapid deployment if the Eastern Empire tries to launch offensive with the help of the Pact and additional Allied forces have arrived through the portal." She replied, "But we've also been receiving conflicting reports about how much a threat the Ontario Pact is."

"What do you mean?" Vince asked her

"Well the leader of the Earth Empire, the leading power in the Alliance, President Douglas has said to Foreign Minister Korensky that the Pact is militarily overestimated and that they're incapable of launching a large scale offensive operation." She replied

"Well I think the President's information will be outdated if the Pact manages to get the Eastern Empire into their bed and General Shephard told the Schnitters quite the opposite." Vince said to her, "So who's right?"

"Well both the Schnitters and Korensky say that Shephard is defiantly more of a reliable source than the President, because all of our Intel on him says he hasn't have any combat experience against the Pact or for that matter, the Combine." She replied

"Then I think we should go with Shephard's advice, tell the Schnitter brothers to continue with their preparations." Vince said to her

**Near Ellensburg**

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force**

**Two Hours Later**

With the sun slowly beginning to rise over the eastern mountains, RED Team #405 and the Survivors were the first TDJTF personnel to arrive at the Isotxian assembly area near Lake Panarama where a large Isotxian force consisting of armored vehicles and mechanized infantry were preparing for the final assault on Ellensburg

"Okay maggots, this is our stop!" The RED Soldier shouted as the Isotxian trucks they were riding on stopped before he, the RED Team #405, and the Survivors started to disembark and the RED Soldier looked around trying to find who seemed to be in charge of the Isotxians, but didn't see any Officers, so he went to the nearest Isotxian soldier who was sitting in his foxhole with his rifle next to him, "Who's in charge here son?"

The Isotxian Soldier jumped before looking back and see the RED Soldier

"Dear Commonwealth! You scared me!" The Isotxian said, "But you're probably looking for General Russo, he should be in the HQ over at the Chateau over there."

The Isotxian Soldier stood up in his foxhole and pointed at the bombed out Chateau on the lake's edge

"Thank you." The RED Soldier said to him as he headed toward the Chateau while the Isotxian sat back down in his foxhole as the Soldier entered the chateau, it was easy for him to find General Ale Russo in one of the buildings where he was looking at a map of Ellensburg giving his officers their objectives when he noticed the RED Soldier, who immediately took off his helmet and saluted

"No need for the formal stuff right now soldier." The General replied with an Italian accent, "You must be one of the TDJTF people, the Field Marshal said you'd be coming."

"I am sir, I am RED Soldier #405, the commander of RED Team #405, but my colleagues just call me the Soldier." The RED Soldier said to him

The General nodded

"Well come over here, where's you superior officer?" He asked him

"He should be here soon." The Soldier replied as he approached the table that the map was on, "The Field Marshal said that he told you what he want us to do."

The General nodded

"See this bridge here? That's the Koa bridge, it's one of the two bridges over the Yakima River that lead into Ellensburg and it's also the most heavily defended according to our scouts." He said to the Soldier pointing to the Koa Bridge on the map, "And the Field Marshal wants us to work together to take it."

"Bridge crossings are a dangerous affair when it comes to the Combine general." He replied, "It might just be easier to build pontoon bridges across the river or to ford across."

"Did I say anything about us crossing it? We're supposed to take it for the XVIII Corps, so they can cross over. We'll be taking the dry route into Ellensburg." The General said to him

The RED Soldier nodded

"I understand." He said to the General as he looked at the bridge, "But the overland route will also be the most heavily defended."

"We know, which is why we've conjured up all this firepower." He replied

"I noticed." The RED Soldier said, "What kind of support will you be giving us?"

"I'll be putting you with the 466th Assault Infantry Division led by Major General Bredesen, they're my best men and veterans from the fighting in the South Pacific. They were just about to shipped over to Europe before these Combine assholes showed up." The General replied

"Lucky for us that the Combine have shitty timing then." The RED Soldier said to him, "So where is this General Bredesen and his men?"

"You'll be linking up with them at the defensive line near the fishing pond further up the road from us." He replied

The RED Soldier nodded

"How many Combine are going to between us and the bridge?" He asked the General

"Probably about a division plus a brigade-sized unit of those three-legged monsters and their babies." He replied

"You mean Striders and Hunters?" The RED Soldier asked him

"If that's what you call them, then yes." He replied, "Are those things machines or creatures?"

"Hybrids of both we think." The RED Soldier asked

"Never heard of that before." The General replied, "Well after taking Koa Bridge, feel free to either link up with us or the XVIII Corps as we advance into the city, but if you want you can also go by yourselves to hunt for that Advisor thing."

"Sure thing." The RED Soldier said as he took one last look at the map, "I suggest you and your men advance with supreme caution, the advisor can easily swoop in and wipe you guys out in a eye blink."

The General nodded

"Thanks for the head up." He replied as Shephard entered the chateau

"What did I miss?" He asked before the RED Soldier repeated everything he was told to Shephard

"So you want us to take a bridge for you guys?" He asked the General, who nodded

"Our life would be much easier if you can take the bridge for the XVIII Corps, so they won't have to ford across the river." He replied

"What about the other bridge?" The RED Soldier asked him

"It's farther way from the city, the Koa bridge will provide them a direct route into Ellensburg." He replied

"I see, consider that bridge taken." Shephard said to him, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, I should warn you, General Bredesen is...a bit ..._unconventional _and people tend to have problems getting along with him, but other than that he's a excellent commander who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty." He replied

"As long as he gets the job done we shouldn't have any problems." Shephard said to him, "Is that all?"

"Yes, we'll be moving out in half-an-hour. So get you're men ready." He replied

Shephard nodded and left the Chateau with the RED Soldier

"So what's the plan?" The RED Soldier asked Shephard

"We're going to take the damn bridge and then we're going to hunt down that advisor and kill it." He replied

"Sounds like a good plan to me." The RED Soldier said to him, "So you think we'll have any problems with that Bredesen guy the general was talking about?"

"I can't say I haven't met him yet, but hopefully he isn't too hard to work with." He replied, "Go the gather the others, we need to come up with a plan."

"Yes sir." The RED Soldier said to Shephard

**Half-an-hour later **

"Lets get this show on the road!" A Isotxian Tank Commander shouted as he disappeared into his vehicle and buttoned up the hatch as it surged forward along with the other Isotxian and Allied vehicles now moving toward Ellensburg on either side of the highway while Isotxian airships and artillery pounded away at the Combine positions near and inside the city alongside Allied and Isotxian attack aircraft while Alyx and Gordon led the rebel contingent that was on the left side of the highway with the four TDJTF Earth Empire Tau Tanks attached to support them followed closely behind

"I hope all those explosions mean there will be less Combine for us to deal with." A Rebel Soldier said to another as they moved cautiously

"I hope so too." She replied as she looked up at the nearest airship as it fired a volley of shells at a unseen Combine position when they came across a series of dugouts and silt trenches manned by Isotxian soldiers wearing camouflaged trench coats and Kevlar vests

"Is this the 466th?" Alyx asked one of the Isotxian Officers, who nodded

"Yes ma'am." The Officer said with a Spanish accent, "You must be from the TDJTF I presume?"

Alyx nodded

"If you're looking for the boss he's on the other side of the highway in the CP." The Officer said to her

"Which way to the Koa Bridge?" Alyx asked him

The Officer pointed to the northwest

"Somewhere in that general direction I believe." He replied as he climbed out of his silt trench, "For a elite force, you don't look like soldiers."

"We get that a lot..." Barney said to him

"Well it's better than nothing." He replied as he climbed out of his silt trench, "You don't know how glad we are to see some friendly faces, we've been stuck holding this position since midnight and the Combine fucks don't know when to give up."

"We know they don't." Alyx said to him as another Isotxian Officer ran across the highway from the Isotxian positions on the other side

"You and your men better get their shit together colonel, general says we're moving out immediately." The Other Officer said to the one Alyx was talking to

The Colonel nodded before looking at Alyx and the Rebels

"You want us to take point ma'am?" He asked her

"If you want go ahead, but we can handle ourselves." She replied

The Colonel nodded and looked back at his men

"Well you heard the major, lets get moving." He said to them before they began climbing out of their positions and grabbing their weapons

"How many men do you have?" Barney asked him

"More than enough to get the job enough." He replied

"Good enough for us." Alyx said to him, "We better get moving."

"My men will take point." He replied as the Rebels and the Isotxian soldiers began to move to the northwest toward the Koa Bridge

**Koa Bridge **

**Several Minutes Later **

General Shephard was laying down in a prone position next to Erik Bredesen as they observed the Koa Bridge that was directly up the Yakima River from their position while the sounds of warfare echoed from Ellensburg

"Should we expect any help from the XVIII Corps?" Shephard asked Erik

"Not until we give them the all clear signal." He replied

"And what's that?" Shephard asked him

"These." Erik said as he held up a flare, "We're supposed to plant them anywhere the XVIII can see them."

Shephard nodded

"So how do you want to do this?" He asked Erik

"Simple, we get in there and kick their arses." He replied

"Sounds easy enough." Shephard said, "Do you want my guys to take the lead or do you your guys to?"

"Tell you the truth general, I'm tired of letting men take the brunt of this operation, so how about you take the lead on this?" Erik asked him

Shephard nodded

"Will do." He said, "I haven't seen any of the Combine forces that General Russel told me about that were in the area."

"Probably went to reinforce their forces inside the city." Erik replied, "But lets get moving before they realize that we're here."

"I agree." Shephard said as he and Bredesen got up and joined the rest of the 466th and TDJTF while RED Team #405 and the survivors moved ahead of the main force to get a closer look at the Combine's positions defending the bridge

"The Isotxian wasn't kidding about this bridge being heavily defended, that's a a lot of Combine down there." Bill said to the RED Soldier

"That's nothing compared to the German positions I stormed during WW2 by myself." He replied

"And was that before or after you found out the war ended in 1945?" Nick asked him and got no answer

"We have more enough than enough firepower to get through them anyhow." Bill said to the RED Soldier, who nodded

"I'm more worried about that mortar thing than anything." He said pointing out the Combine Suppression device that was in a dugout position in the center of one of the Combine's positions

"You let me worry about the suppression device." The RED Spy said to the Soldier and Bill as he opened up his disguise kit and disguised as a Combine elite soldier before cloaking

"I hope he knows what he's doing." Zoey said

"He hasn't failed us yet." The RED Soldier replied, "But he doesn't start today."

"Here's the others coming up now! Louis said as the lead elements of the main force came down the road running alongside the river while Isotxian soldiers set up mortars and began to shell the Combine's positions

"I hope the Spy can sap that suppression device, because this could real bad." He replied

The Spy cursed as the first mortar rounds exploded inside the Combine position as the 466th and the TJDTF started their attack, quickly disengaging his cloak and pulling out his revolver and butterfly knife and quickly dispatching several unaware Combine soldiers as he quickly made his way to the suppression device that almost immediately started to fire as the rest of RED Team #405 and the survivors rushed forward with Isotxian infantry

"Intruder!" A Combine Soldier shouted before the Spy shot in the head with his revolver and continued onto the suppression device and killing two more Combine soldiers before entering the bunker where he found the machine's operator and spotter and quickly dispatched both before placing a sapper onto the suppression device's main control console

"I think he did it!" Nick shouted as the suppression device ceased firing before exploding as a single Combine hunter rushed at them and RED Team #405

"I'll take care of this comrades." The RED Heavy said as he threw down his minigun and cracked his knuckles before screaming as he ran toward the hunter and grabbed it by it's talons that it tired to stab the Heavy before he used all his strength to push the Hunter down onto it's back before he jumped onto it and started beating it with his fist as the Hunter screamed and roared in pain and anger before it finally stopped moving

"Jesus Christ..." Bill said as he looked at the battered remains of the Hunter as he past while the Heavy picked up his minigun as the RED Medic used his medic gun to heal the injuries he sustained during the fight

"Which one was that?" The Medic asked him

"The twenty-second." He replied before he and the Medic continued on while General Bredesen and several of his men jumped over the barrier wall surrounding the Combine's main defensive position

"Clear this place out!" Bredesen shouted as he used his sawed off trenchgun to blast away a Combine Soldier as Shephard joined him

"You seem to be used to this kind of warfare." Shephard said to him

"We cleared out positions like this all the time in the South Pacific!" He replied as he blasted away another Combine soldier with a blast from his trenchgun while Shephard used his pulse rifle to gun down another as other TDJTF and 466th Soldiers joined the assault

"Shouldn't you be finding a place to put those flares?" Shephard asked Bredesen

"Oh yeah! I forgot about those already!" He replied as he looked at the remains of the suppression device, "That looks like a good spot!"

"Need any help getting up here?"Shephard asked him

"Nah, I think I can handle this myself! You concentrate on clearing the rest of these fuckers out." He replied

Shephard nodded as Bredesen ran toward the Suppression Device before turning to RED Team #405 and realized the Spy was moving

"Where the hell is the Spy?" Shephard asked the RED Soldier

"He's the one that destroyed the suppression device, we haven't seen him since." He replied

Shephard nodded

"Well Bredesen just went up there to light the flares, so he'll probably run into him if he's still alive, but he isn't, he'll just respawn back at base." He said to them

"Enemy reinforcements!" A Isotxian Soldier shouted as several Combine APCs came down on the road from Ellensburg, firing their pulse machine guns and missiles before stopping and opening their side doors to allow their passengers to dismount before closing them and continuing on before they blasted to pieces by TDJTF's armored vehicles as more APCs, Striders, and Hunters also started to come down the road

"Hold them off! We need to hold this bridge until the XVIII Corps arrives!" Shephard shouted as the TDJTF and the Isotxians started to hold off the Combine Counter-attack while Bredesen climbed up the suppression device with the help of the RED Spy before lighting one of the flares and planting it on top of the device before he jumped down

"I hope those reinforcements get here soon because I think they're not here for the bridge!" The RED Soldier replied as he fired several rockets at a Combine Strider before switching to his shotgun and blasted away several Combine soldiers while several Tau tanks fired a volley of charged shots, destroying several of the Striders while one of the surviving Striders blasted apart a Isotxian heavy machine team with it's warp cannon while Bredesen and the RED Spy joined the others

"I never expected a counter-attack this quickly." Bredesen said to Shephard

"Well they weren't just sit around and let us take the bridge." He replied

"ADVISOR!" A TDJTF Imperial Soldier shouted as the Combine Advisor appeared into view and used a blast of physic energy to knock Shephard, Bredesen, and most of the TDJTF down before it picked up Shephard and brought him closer and stuck it's long worm-like tongue before a shell flew over Shephard's head, missing him by a inch before it exploded into a white flash of white light that blinded Shephard as he was dropped to the ground as his ear rang loudly

Bredesen was just starting to get up when he was too blinded by the detonation of the Super-Heated White Prosperous(SHWP) round fired by something on the other side of the river

"Hot damn!" He shouted as he rubbed his eyes while the light disappeared with no sign of the advisor or Shephard, no doubly turned to ash by the blast

"Shephard!" The RED Medic shouted as he and the rest of RED Team #405 ran forward after recovering their weapons with the Rebels and survivors

"Oh shit." Bredesen said as he picked up his trench gun and ran forward as well as the Ripper tank that fired the SHWP round started to come across the bridge, it's commander sticking his head out from cupola

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" Shephard said as the RED Medic and Scout helped him before he turned to Bredesen, "What the hell was that?"

"Super-Heated White Prosperous or SHWP for short, I don't exactly know how it works, but it's the most powerful round that our tanks can fire." He replied

"Super-Heated White Prosperous?" Shephard asked as he turned to look at the piles of ash and bone that used to be Combine Soldiers, "Guess I'm lucky to be alive?"

"You have no idea, you're the first I've ever seen survive that close of a blast, you must have something looking over you general." Bredesen said to him while the Ripper tank stopped

"Sorry about that mates, we weren't just going to sit around and let you get torn to pieces by...whatever that damn thing was." The Ripper's Commander said to Shephard and the rest of the TDJTF with a British accent, "The rest of our guys should be coming along soon now."

"You're fine." Shephard replied, "Mine sharing some of those SHWP rounds with us?"

"Sorry mate, but that was our last one." The Commander said to him

"Well you made good use of it." He replied

"So what now general?" Bredesen asked him

"Well now we clear out the rest of this city so we can get moving to Seattle. Which will be much much easier now that the Advisor's gone." He replied

"Then we better regroup and get moving." Bredesen said to him

"Agreed." He replied before they went off to gather up their forces

**Chicago **

**Three Hours Later**

The Prime Minister was anxiously pacing across the room outside the main telegram office as Jayme talked to one of the telegram officers before she came out

"The Advisor's dead and the TDJTF are now helping the Home Army clear our Ellensburg, but lead elements are already advancing westward toward Seattle." She said to the Prime Minister, "And we're receiving reports from all over Puget Province that the Combine are now in complete disarray and Field Marshal October has ordered a major offensive on all fronts."

"Thank the Commonwealth." He said before slouching against wall, "Contact Korensky and tell him to finalize our membership in the Alliance. Any news from Europe?"

"Reconnaissance aircraft are reporting a huge increase in movement on all major railways and highways in Northern Slavia, so they're defiantly going to strike somewhere in Northern Europe. Possibly Berlin." She replied, "But good news is that some of our new allies are already beginning to deploy forces through the portal in Hanover."

"Lets just hope they're enough to stop the Imperials and the Pact if they do attack." Vince said to her, "Tell me when our forces reach Seattle or when something happens in Europe."

"Yes sir." She replied before heading back into the Telegram Office

**Notes: **

**Sorry about the long length of this chapter and how long it took me to produce it. Hopefully this won't happen again. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Brewing Storm

**Seattle, Puget Province **

**Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force **

**Later that Day **

After taking Ellensburg, the Allied advance through Puget Province had been swift and the Combine's siege of Seattle was easily broken with the combined might of the Home Army and the Allied reinforcements now coming from the same portal that the Combine had came through and the fighting was now taking place inside Seattle as the last Combine forces made their last stand

"Careful, careful!" Shephard shouted as the RED Soldier tripped over a piece of rubble as he led RED Team #405 down a city street, trying to fight any signs of the Sixth Army

"Shephard! We've been looking for hours and we haven't found anything!" The RED Soldier said to them

"We're almost to the area where Isotxian aerial reconnaissance said there was still fighting going on when we first arrived here, so we can't give up now!" Shephard replied as they continued down the street until they came around a corner and found a abandoned barricade of rubble and destroyed cars with dead Combine soldiers spread out before it

"Is anybody there?!" The RED Scout shouted and got no answer

"They may have fallen back." Shephard replied as he and RED Team #405 climbed over the barricade and found a few dead Isotxian soldiers and armed civilians on the other side before they continued on and came across more dead Combine and another barricade that consisted of rubble,automobiles, and a tram that had been pulled off it's tracks in the center of the street with a worn out Isotxian flag flying on one of the metal poles that had connected the car to the power lines overhanging the street

"Don't move!" A Voice shouted from inside the tram in with a German accent as several Isotxian soldiers and armed civilians appeared inside the tram and on the other side of the barricade

"Don't shoot! We're friendlies!" Shephard shouted, "Are the Sixth Army?"

"Yes! Who are you?" One of the Soldiers asked

"Major General Wallace Shephard! Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force!" Shephard replied, "We're here to save you guys!"

"Never head of ya, but at least you're human!" The Soldier shouted, "Come on in!"

Shephard and RED Team #405 approached the barricade and climbed over it

"Is it just you guys?" A Isotxian Police Officer asked the RED Soldier

"There's more coming, the entire Home Army is here as well." He replied

"Thank the Commonwealth!" A Isotxian Officer shouted with a Scottish accent, "We thought we were goners there!"

"How many of you are left?" Shephard asked him

"A few thousand, they hit us pretty hard." Another Isotxian Officer replied

"What about General Himu?" Shephard asked him

"Dead along with most of his command staff." He replied, "We have a lot of wounded in the cafe at the corner up ahead and we don't have enough medical supplies for all of them, do you have any to spare?"

"He's the medical expert here." The RED Soldier said motioning to the RED Medic who pulled out his Medic Gun

"Take me to them." He said to the Isotxian Officer, who nodded and motioned for one of the Police Officers to take him to the cafe

"So what's going on in Europe? Have they got hit by these things as well?" The Officer asked Shephard

"No, that's where we came through and we had a run in with Field Marshal Schnitter." He replied

"Wait you guys came through one of the sky tear things?" A Isotxian Civilian asked

"Yes." Shephard replied, "We'll explain later, who's in charge here?"

"General Browning, he's in his headquarters at the docks." The Officer said to him, "Do any of you have a fag?"

"A what?" Shephard asked, the Officer sighed

"Cigarettes." He said while the RED Spy dug into his pocket and pulled out his disguise kit before pulling out a single cigarette and handed it to the Isotxian, who placed it in his mouth and used a zippo lighter to light it, "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Hey are these your friends coming up now?" A Isotxian Soldier shouted from inside the tram before Shephard looked over the barricade and saw the survivors and several TDJTF soldiers coming up the street

"Yeah!" Shephard replied before he yelled to them to come over

"Is the Sixth Army?" Bill asked as he jumped over the barricade

"I'm afraid so." One of the Isotxian Officers replied, "So much for Australia."

"Do you guys want me to contact General Browning for you?" One of the Other Officers asked Shephard

"Yeah, we've done enough walking for one day." Shephard replied, "If you mind, we'll like to sit down and take a breather for a bit."

"Go ahead, none of us are going to stop you." The Officer said, "So are there still some of those things out there?"

"There is, but they're all north of us toward the portal." Shephard replied

"So it's over?" One of the Police Officers asked

"For now..." He replied

**Imperial City – the Capital of the Eastern Empire **

The Eastern Empire's head of state, Emperor Newman the XIII, after much debate and discussion with his advisers signed the agreement committing the Eastern Empire and her armed forces before shaking hands with the ambassador of the Northern Rebels and the Ubermensch

"Welcome to the Pact Mr. Newman." The Ubermensch said to Newman as they shook hands

"Lets just hope you can put your money where your mouth is." He replied and the Ubermensch laughed in response

"Don't worry about that Mr. Newman, together we will crush the Isotxian's precious Army Group Alpha even with the help of their new allies in the Alliance." He said to the Emperor

"Easier said than done, our best forces have been trying to rout them since for over a decade and look where's that gotten us." He replied

"I ensure you your highness, the Isotxians will not be able to handle our combined might." The Ubermensch said to him while Supreme Marshal Georgy Joensuu, the commander of the Eastern Empire's forces in Europe watched from the corner of the office with his arms crossed

"Excuse me for a minute." Newman said to the Ubermensch before he walked over to Joensuu

"I hope you know what you're doing aligning us with these people." He said to Newman

"I hope I do too, what do you have to report?" He asked him

"Almost all of the Pact forces and ours are in place for Operation Fatal Dagger. But I'm going to tell you the truth your highness, I'm not comfortable with their plan to defeat the Isotxians, it's way too ambitious and impractical." He replied

"Are you saying that you're afraid that we'll not be able to pull it off?" Newman asked him

"I'm not saying that, I'm just saying that the chances for success are lower than I would like them to be." He replied, "And not to mention that I just plainly just don't fucking trust anything the Herr Ubermensch says because I know a snake when I see one."

"Well he somehow managed to get the support of the god damn conservatives, who are the ones who forced me to sign the damn treaty." Newman said to him, "If this plan of theirs goes south, do not hesitate to pull your forces out of there."

Joensuu nodded

"Will do your highness." He said to Newman, "I better get back to Warsaw so I can command this train wreck."

Joensuu turned to leave as Newman returned to the Ubermensch and the Northern Rebel Ambassador as they gathered around the newly signed agreement for a photograph, beginning the cascade of event that would finally lead to the end of the war


End file.
